Zero waste shopping isn’t hard but can be overwhelming when never done before. This article will explain step by step how to shop zero waste and why it is so impactful for the environment.
How can I buy my food in bulk?
Nowadays there are many alternatives to your typical grocery store. When arriving at one it’s important to wash your hands when entering, as the foods are not packaged. Usually, zero-waste shops offer paper bags for free, but of course, it’s even better to bring your fabric bags and glass containers. After weighing the brought along bags and containers, you are ready to fill them with the delicious goods. Some items like liquids or fermented veggies might require help from an employee, but other than that you can draw the food on your own.
how does zero-waste shopping work?
Here is a list of five tricks on how to successfully shop zero-waste:
- If you have old glass containers or fabric bags at home bring them to your next zero waste shopping trip.
- Don’t hesitate to ask for help or information on products.
- Choose to either always weigh your containers with or without the lid to not get confused. This means that when you weigh your glass jar at the beginning and afterwards when you have filled it, make sure it is either with the lid on or off.
- Immediately write down what it is you weighed and how much it weighs now with the content in it.
- Try out things you never had by only taking a small amount. This is something we often can’t do at a regular supermarket as the packages are mostly very big. Here you save money and food waste while still being able to try out unfamiliar foods. (little plant pantry)
how much packaging can I save while buying in bulk?
Zero-waste shopping gives you the possibility to choose how much you want to buy. This prevents food waste but is also good for your wallet. Next to that, you eliminate the use of packaging, which is probably the biggest plus! Many people like to go to zero-waste stores for their dry foods likes pasta, rice, beans, nuts and seeds. Imagine going to a regular supermarket, most of those groceries come in either full plastic bags or a mix of plastic and paper which makes it super hard to recycle. So, you already save all the packaging of these kinds of items while buying in bulk. Apart from those basic foods, many bulk stores also offer fermented goods or self-made sauces in glass jars. The glass jars of those delicious, organic and local foods can either be recycled or used for your next zero-waste shop.
Can I make an impact by shopping package-free?
When you as an individual choose to not buy packaged foods, you show the big producers that the demand shrinks. We tend to think that our small actions won’t change anything, but that is not true. Especially the big players need to respond to the market and when people stop buying their packaged food, they will change to still stay afloat. Some products can’t be preserved without packaging at the moment, but here it is one you to either be able to indulge less frequently in those foods or even to refrain from them. But as we always say, “every little step counts!” and if you try to shop more zero-waste you already make a big impact. Furthermore, by buying in bulk stores you support small businesses and local producers.
What can I do if there is not yet a zero-waste store near me?
Open one! But if this is not possible, we still have some other tips for you off course. The first one is trying to get the unpackaged or recyclable options at the supermarket. Next to that go to your nearest market or farmer for your fresh veggies. If you eat meat go to a butcher’s shop with your container instead of buying the prepackaged meat at the store. This is not only waste-free but also probably of better origin. Last but not least, you could start making the things you can’t get in a zero-waste version yourself. For example, granola, oat flour or nut milk.
Let’s start buying zero-waste!
Reflecting on all the tips and tricks on how to shop zero-waste, I hope you feel more confident to start going to bulk stores yourself! It shouldn’t be intimidating but empowering as buying zero-waste makes a huge positive impact on the environment and people. And don’t forget every little action counts, nobody is perfect as Anne Marie Bonneau said “We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly.”
